Welcome Guest [Log In] [Register]
Welcome to The New Coffee Room. We hope you enjoy your visit.


You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use. If you join our community, you'll be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features such as customizing your profile, sending personal messages, and voting in polls. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free.


Join our community!


If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features:

Username:   Password:
Add Reply
What about a third term?
Topic Started: Nov 3 2005, 07:58 AM (147 Views)
John D'Oh
Member Avatar
MAMIL
A discussion yesterday got me thinking. There's a first time for everything.

I think the prohibition of a US President running for a third term of office has much to be said for it, and was well motivated. It provides more roadblocks against allowing a quasi-dictatorship by the back door. In the UK, where there is no such block on re-election, as time progressed, the Thatcher government became increasingly out of touch with the electorate, as well as increasingly over-bearing, largely due to the lack of an effective opposition. Inevitably, though, the government had a natural lifecycle, and the eventual resurgence of the center-left finally removed her successor from office.

There are definite disadvantages, though. The current Bush second term is characterised by very high spending, and I believe that Bush Snr's famous 'Read My Lips' gaffe was very much turned into a gaffe by the spending habits of his predecessor. 'Someone is going to pay the bill, but it won't be me!'

What say you? Is this prohibition a good thing? I'm not just referring to the current administration, whose re-election would certainly not be a foregone conclusion. In my opinion a Clinton third term would have been a more popular choice than Gore, and barring health problems Reagan would almost certainly have managed a third run.
What do you mean "we", have you got a mouse in your pocket?
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
The 89th Key
Member Avatar

Interesting point John. There are both advantages and disadvantages to the limit. I'm not sure if it's a good thing. Every year, the people have to elect the president, so he get's a reality check every 4 years. This would also make him more accountable during his second term.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Nina
Senior Carp
Personally, I like the two-term limit. If I were to change anything, it would be to extend the presidential term to 6 years, and/or put some real teeth into election reform.

As it is now, the President spends his first year laying out his agenda, the second year getting things done, and years 3 and 4 preparing for re-election. If there were 6-year terms, we might actually get more than 1 year of activity. That doesn't even take into account the stuff that goes on at midterm elections.

Plus, I do believe that power corrupts virtually everyone. The longer someone stays in office, the more vulnerable they are--particularly when there's little oversight into lobbyists, donations, soft money, etc.

To me it's more than becoming out of touch with the people. It's losing sight of why they're there in the first place.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
tcmod
Member Avatar
Senior Carp
Thank god we don't have to suffer through three terms. Clearly, we lack the ability to produce good presidents or candidates over the past few elections.
Dead girls don't say no, but you still have to buy them flowers
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
The 89th Key
Member Avatar

I like the 6 year idea. :)
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Aqua Letifer
Member Avatar
ZOOOOOM!
Set the term limit too little, and the elected official doesn't get a chance to get anything done. Set the term too high, and he becomes out of touch with his constituency. The key is to hit the happy medium in between.

For the sake of number-pulling, I've always said 4 years was a good enough number. If I had it my way, re-election wouldn't be a possibility for any president.
I cite irreconcilable differences.
Online Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
John D'Oh
Member Avatar
MAMIL
I like the idea of drastically reducing the length of time preparing and campaigning for the next election. What a shocking waste of time, that lot is.
What do you mean "we", have you got a mouse in your pocket?
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
« Previous Topic · The New Coffee Room · Next Topic »
Add Reply